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A couple of Januarys ago, my Hubby and I stared at a list of things we wanted to do with our lives. Changes we wanted to make to our home. Fun trips we wanted to take with our family. Dream dates we’d love to go on.
And it was a shock to our plan when we realized that debt was keeping us from doing any of those things.
You probably have dreams similar to ours. But something is holding you back. Whether it’s too many bills, not enough savings, or the weight of money mistakes you feel like you’ll never overcome…it can make you feel hopeless.
This year, why not host a cookie exchange? It’s such a fun way to spread Christmas cheer without the cost and hassle of a traditional Christmas party!
Hosting a Christmas party probably sounds like equal parts fun and stress. How great is it to get together with your favorite people at this special time of year!?
BUT…
It’s also expensive, time consuming, and stressful (what with the planning, cleaning, and prepping.)
Happily I have the perfect solution for you! The answer is host a cookie exchange!
This book is packed with all the tips we used to get ourselves out of over $20,000 in credit card debt. They’re tried and true methods that worked for our single income family of seven.
At the stroke of midnight on Halloween, many people immediately begin to think of Christmas. The decorations, the gifts to buy, and the magic of the season.
But for frugal planners like us, we can’t forget about one important step between those two holidays. And that is, of course, Thanksgiving!
Those of us who love Thanksgiving enjoy the simplicity of the season. It’s a time to pause and give thanks. And the only thing we need to really plan for is one meal.
But that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to save money on this holiday!
Let’s talk about some simple ways to save on Thanksgiving dinner!
This week I managed to spill coffee on the top of my head.
That’s not relevant to saving money (I mean, ok, I did brew it at home!), but after a week of being sick, that seemed like a good mental image to show the kind of week it’s been. 😉
Luckily it wasn’t all awful. I did manage to find a few ways to save money!
Being in debt puts a damper on a lot of things. But the holidays can seem especially hard!
Between feeling obligated to participate in every tradition, event, and gift giving opportunity and the fact that most of your friends seem to take part in every one of those things, it can make the season feel depressing.
Time to reframe that attitude!
The holiday season is the best time to put on your attitude of gratitude! Christmas should be about so much more than just spending money!
And if you can raise yourself up this time of year, imagine the great things you are setting yourself up for! A fresh new year with less debt (especially if you have a habit of financing gifts on the old credit card).
And, if you can beat that debt, your future Christmases can be times of less stress.
Some weeks are just rough. Life decides to take you for a ride, and you have no choice but to follow along.
That’s been the last few weeks for us. We’ve dealt with a quickly scheduled surgery, a funeral a couple of states away, a birthday party, school functions, and the chaos of regular life.
There was a time when the fact that I couldn’t find ways to save money during the hustle and bustle of life would have added an extra layer of stress.
And to be sure, I don’t enjoy wasting money on things like fast food and other conveniences. But I’m so glad it’s an option available to us when life is tough!
Looking for cool gift ideas for everyone on your list? This gift guide has ideas for all of them! Affordable options they’re sure to use and love!
Finding just the right gift for the people you love the most can be so hard! You want something they’ll enjoy, that won’t become clutter within weeks (or days!), and affordability is a must.
That’s why I pulled together this list of cool gift ideas! Everything here is something I will give to a loved one this year.
Reading through gift guides filled with $100 (sometimes $500!) ideas is always discouraging. I don’t consider spending $100 on one gift to be affordable…and I bet you don’t either!
No, this list is more realistic. But it’s also filled with interesting ideas, so they don’t already have 3 versions of the same thing!
Ready to go? Let’s check out these awesome gift ideas!
I'm Jamie, and I believe that you can build your savings, even when life is frustrating. Learn more.
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I'm Jamie, and I believe that you can build your savings, even when life is frustrating. 
